


Not As It Seems XLI

by eliniel



Series: Not As It Seems Series [41]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Angst and Feels, Celebrations, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Heavensturn (Final Fantasy XIV), New Year's Eve, New Year's Fluff, New Years, Romantic Fluff, Traditions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 09:01:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28507851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eliniel/pseuds/eliniel
Summary: After continuing their new tradition of taking a swim in a frozen lake on the Eve of Heavensturn, Emet-Selch takes the Warrior of Light to another shard to see just how they celebrate.
Relationships: Solus zos Galvus | Emet-Selch/Warrior of Light
Series: Not As It Seems Series [41]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2175447
Comments: 6
Kudos: 34





	Not As It Seems XLI

**Author's Note:**

> Helloooo~
> 
> Gonna be real here for a mo- I was not planning on writing this story. The day before New Year's Eves, I had a small thought for a story. I wrote it down in my prompts doc, and planned on setting it aside for next year because it didn't have much substance.
> 
> Then NYE happened. I was sitting here, thinking about this prompt. Three hours before the ball dropped, it hit me. It needed a lot of fluffing, but I had the barebones of my story. "Fuck it," I said. I'll go ahead and write it. It'll be late, but I'll write it.
> 
> Less than 48 hours later, I'm posting my word vomit for you all to read. I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Though, if you have not read all of my series, I do recommend you read these two first as they are referenced in this story: [Not As It Seems Part VIII](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19981615) and [Not As It Seems Part XVIII](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21906088).

I sucked in a deep breath as I broke through the surface of the water, the cold air filling my lungs.

Refreshing. 

My heart beat rapidly in my chest, icy waves lapping against me from my movement as I gazed up at the moon, not full any longer now that it was a week after the Starlight Festival- but still eye-catching against the blackness of the night, anyway. 

I bobbed for a few moments as the water calmed again, marvelling at the quiet of the night. Heavensturn was fast approaching now, only a few hours before midnight, but the woods were... _ silent. _

Not a bell ago, Emet-Selch had come to me, informing me that he was going to continue his favored Garlean tradition by jumping into a near-frozen lake to celebrate the turn of the new year. That I was welcome to come along as I had the year before, but if I remained here to put on something warm because once he returned, he was taking me somewhere else to celebrate further.

With a sheepish grin, I had put my book down. 

“Well, even if you hadn’t offered,” I replied. “I would have followed you down to the lake anyway.”

Surprise lit his face, surely recalling the events that took place a year ago exactly. 

I had  _ hated _ his tradition- thought it ridiculous. I was  _ sure _ I would catch my death, only just recovered from a near incident with hypothermia. But my, my- he had certainly made the trip worth my while.

Besides, I liked watching him celebrate those few things he still enjoyed.

Sure, he...took me places. Other countries, other  _ worlds _ . But, I could not tell if it was merely to make  _ me _ happy or if he truly enjoyed the things he had shown me, as well.

It was the least I could do...to be with him, to make the effort to participate as he did when it came to my traditions.

So, I had let him lead me back into the woods outside of my ward in the Lavender Beds. Since he had plans to go elsewhere when we were finished, we decided not to bother going back to his cabin in the snow-capped mountains beyond Garlemald, and he had judged the small lake close to my home  _ good enough _ .

“Stay in there any longer, Warrior of Light, and we will have a problem on our hands.”

I twisted in the water as he squatted on the edge of the small pier he had conjured into existence to aid us with getting in and out, wearing nothing but a pair of trousers, one of my towels hanging across his shoulders. He held out his hand to me.

I examined him closely, his face alight and refreshed as it basked in the light of the moon. His cheeks were red and chapped from the cold. 

And even though I could see the barest of shivers course through his body as he waited for me to accept, he looked...revitalized.

Finally, I lifted my arm out of the water and slid my fingers into his palm. He helped hoist me out of the still half-frozen lake, and quickly wrapped a second towel around my body before pulling me against him, his hands purposefully rubbing up and down my back to create friction- an attempt to warm me up. 

I wound my arms around his waist, burying my face in the warmth of his skin. I let my taut muscles relax as his chest rumbled with a chuckle. He ran his fingers through my sodden hair, his magic drying the strands so that it didn’t drip icy drops down my back.

“Much better than last year,” he teased. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say it’s almost as if...you  _ enjoyed _ yourself.” I breathed a laugh, resting my chin on his collarbone as I peered up at him. 

“Oh? What gave you that impression?” He hummed as he pretended to think back.

“Could it have been the way you practically  _ skipped _ out here?” He asked, though more rhetorically than  _ to _ me. “Or perhaps...that I didn’t have to fight you to simply dip your toe into the water?” I smiled widely as he listed the differences between last year and this, faux realization lighting on his face. “Ah, no. I think it was the way you didn’t angrily  _ storm _ back to the house when I helped you out of the lake.” I rolled my eyes.

“Alright, alright,” I conceded. “You win.” One side of his mouth tugged upward as he looked down at me.

“Ready to head back in?”

“Yeah,” I sighed. “I am rather cold.”

He let me pull away from him and step into my snow boots while he gathered the rest of our clothes from the dock and laid his leather coat across my shoulders. He shrugged when I looked up at him, then transferred all of our belongings to one arm so he could catch my hand with his, threading our fingers together as he opened a portal back to my house. 

Half a bell later, after completely drying off and taking a few minutes to warm up, the Ascian met me in the foyer. 

He had said we would be out of doors for a long while, so I had pulled on fur-lined leggings and thick socks, followed by tall boots. Under my heavy coat was a cable-knit sweater weaved of soft, chunky yarn.

As he approached me, his clothes of a similar fashion, he inspected me. With a nod, he held my leather gloves out to me. As I slid them on, he fitted a wool hat over my head, making sure it covered my ears. I tilted my head as I examined it in the mirror that hung over the table by the door. It seemed much too long for my head, slouching over itself in the back.

Surely  _ no one _ had a head this large-

“All the rage on this particular shard,” he informed me, sensing my confusion.

Ah, a  _ fashion statement _ , I understood. I nodded with a hum, and shrugged one shoulder.

“I like it,” I said matter-of-factly, turning my head to see how it framed my face. “Maybe I’ll adopt it for myself.” 

He laughed quietly as he set a folded blanket over his forearm, then grabbed the large, metal flash that was sitting on the small table before us. He offered me his free arm. I slid my hand through easily, hooking my fingers around the inside of his elbow. 

“It certainly  _ does _ suit you,” he admitted as the hum of his portal filled my home. “Onward?”

My eyes lit with curiosity for whatever it was he had in store. 

“Onward,” I confirmed, allowing him to tug me through to the other side.

When I emerged, a powerful, unexpected gust of wind nearly knocked me over. My hand tightened on Emet-Selch’s arm as I planted my feet. 

“Careful,” he ordered, amusement in his voice. I clicked my tongue once I had regained balance and released his arm. 

“If you’d better prepared me instead of  _ always  _ insisting it be a surprise,” I shot back at him, lifting my head to examine our surroundings. “Then maybe I’d…”

My eyes widened as my words trailed off. 

We stood alone on the ledge of a tall building. But quite a ways below us, on the ground-

A large crowd filled the streets, packed together as they chatted and laughed with each other. Giant signs and screens similar in looks to the television the Ascian had shown me lined the outside walls of each building, looping through what looked to be advertisements for different products and musical shows.

“Then maybe you’d be…?”

“Wow,” I breathed instead, attempting to take it all in- to see  _ everything _ , though it seemed impossible. “What is…”

“This…” I tore my gaze from the gathering as he shifted next to me, moving to sit on the roof, his legs dangling over the edge. “Is how this shard celebrates the coming of the next year.” 

Emet-Selch leaned forward, elbows on his thighs as he watched the merriment for a moment. A small, muted smile crossed his lips as his eyes reflected the constantly changing recordings, something resembling fondness appearing on his face. My lips parted in surprise. 

But a second later, he blinked and the look was gone. He reached up, tapping the back of my knee, coaxing me to sit as well. I obeyed, and with a quiet groan, placed myself at his side while he busied himself with unfolding the blanket he’d brought. He handed me one end and, together, we wrapped it around ourselves. I huddled into him, his arm going around my waist. 

For the next few minutes, we didn’t speak. My gaze darted to every corner, trying to see everything, though I’m sure that I would be unable to- there was just  _ so much _ going on. 

I giggled as someone in a comically large animal costume started handing out silly, oversized hats to those who passed in front of their store. 

Further still, a group of people wearing make glasses with numbers on them broke out into fits of laughter that echoed down the street, forcing my smile to widen at the sound. 

At the heart of the square, bright lights shone, highlighting someone standing atop a stage and moments later, the words of a song started filtered over to us, louder even than the crowd.

I sighed, my body relaxing into his as I laid my temple on his shoulder and pulled my side of the blanket tighter around me.

“It’s...so magical,” I said when I felt his questioning gaze on me.

“For a shard without the ability to access and cast magic, they certainly do know how to make their own,” he agreed, his arm tightening around my waist as he pulled me even closer.

The next hour was filled with various different artists performing on the stage, whether it be song or dance- even some sleight of hand. The crowd settled down to watch no matter where they stood- many of the televisions honed in so those not close to the square could still partake. 

When he was sure that no one else was watching, the Ascian conjured a couple of mugs so that we could drink the hot chocolate he’d poured into the flask- to help keep us warm as we sat out in the cold.

“The cameras recording here tonight are  _ live _ ,” he explained as I sipped from my drink. “It means that those living all over the country can watch this happening as well, from their televisions.” I hummed thoughtfully.

“Will they watch it later or are they watching now?”

“ _ Live _ ,” he replied. “Means they are watching at this very moment, just as we are.”

Finally, when the last musical number had finished, a bright, white light exploded where the singer had just vacated- from the looks of it…fireworks? 

At the same moment, the screens flicked over to a man wearing a heavy wool coat, holding some sort of black stick in one hand. Suddenly, a booming voice commanded the congregation and I jumped at the sheer volume.

“It’s a microphone,” Emet-Selch chuckled at my obvious panic. I furrowed my brow, still not quite understanding. He nodded his head in the direction of the closest television. “What he’s holding in his hand. It amplifies one’s voice so that it can be heard for many, many fulms. Sometimes even malms.”

The host of the celebration began speaking again, telling those of us watching that the new year was just minutes away. 

This seemed to grab the crowd’s attention, a jittery sort of energy filling the air. 

As he spoke, the man made his way towards a button that sat on a stand right in the center of his platform. 

And when he pressed it...the television changed once more. An iridescent ball appeared in his stead.

“There,” the Ascian said, pointing towards a taller building that sat just beyond the square. 

My eyes followed his finger and I sat stock straight when my eyes landed upon it, the blanket falling from around my shoulders. Not only was it changing colors, but it was  _ moving _ .

Magic, indeed.

With a grin, I took in the scene before us again. The sparkling sphere of light was slowly sliding toward the base of its tower. All of the screens that lit the square began flashing animated pictures of this shard’s numbers, its inhabitants shouting each one as it counted down from ten. 

My heart began pounding in my chest, excitement building within me as I watched with wide eyes. I clasped my hands together in front of me as the ball inched closer and closer to the bottom-

When the count hit one, I sucked in a sharp breath, and held it. 

“Happy New Year!” The crowd shouted in unison. 

Music began to play again, accompanied by a series of  _ pops _ . Streamers and confetti made of paper littered the sky and blew away on the cold wind. Couples and friends turned towards each other to share such a special moment with those that meant the most to them, celebrating with a quick peck on the cheek or lips. 

I felt water prick in the corners of my eyes, a shiver running up my spine brought by the sheer emotion I could feel floating through the air.

“And breathe,” the Emet-Selch’s voice commanded softly, reminding me that he was still there. That he had brought me to see this.

That he...That he wanted to... 

I exhaled slowly, a block of ice forming in the pit of my stomach. I looked toward him once more, but found him watching  _ me _ with a brow raised. 

“Yes?”

“I take it that you’re enjoying yourself?” Despite myself, one side of my mouth tugged upward at the light tone of his voice.

“It’s marvelous,” I answered, though the excitement I had been feeling moments before was very noticeably absent. “As usual.”

The sinking feeling in my chest worsened though, and I felt my shoulders fall a small amount as my eyes dropped from his. 

“But?” 

“Just…” The remnants of my smile turned sad as I tilted my head back towards the large crowd. “There’s so much  _ good _ in this world. In...the universe.” For a moment, he didn’t respond.

“ _ Good _ ,” he repeated finally, the word short, laced with barely concealed bitterness and an understanding of just  _ where _ this conversation was headed.

“I know,” I quickly began again. “I  _ know _ we’ve spoken about this before. But...” I swallowed hard and motioned towards the celebration. They had begun to sway with the music, singing along to the words. 

_ Should auld acquaintance be forgot…. _ _  
_ _ And auld lang syne... _

“There’s joy here. Joy and love...and hope. Hope for a better year, for a better world.”

I paused in the case he wanted to reply. Next to me, however, Emet-Selch remained silent. 

“I know you have your reasons,” I continued after a moment. “But I…” I closed my eyes, head dipping down towards my lap. “I just wish I better understood  _ why _ you want to get rid of all of this.”

I opened my eyes, looking up to him again. 

“Maybe...m _ aybe _ it was like you said. Maybe this  _ true world _ you’ve spoken of was much more beautiful than it is now. But...it can’t be  _ all _ bad, right? You’ve seen that beauty here for yourself, haven’t you?” 

“Hero-”

“I can see it sometimes- in your eyes,” I interrupted, now unwilling to let him speak until I’d said my peace. “You’ve taken me to see so many different,  _ wonderful _ things that I would have  _ never _ gotten to experience if I lived a normal life. I can’t...tell you how thankful I am for all of it. But...surely it wasn’t  _ just _ for my benefit.” 

_ Rambling. You’re rambling, _ I told myself.

I stopped, exhaling a steadying breath, then continued again, slower this time. 

“You...you  _ knew _ of all of these things long before you met me.” Not a question, though he still hummed in affirmation. “It could have been...simply for reconnaissance, I suppose, but...Surely you’ve... Isn’t there...isn’t there something here worth sav-”

“Hero,” he said, his voice commanding now, though surprisingly...not annoyed. “Finished?”

I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest as my bottom lip jutted out in a pout. 

He heaved a deep sigh.

“As you know, I have been...on an indescribably long journey.” He tilted his head, waiting for my confirmation. I frowned, but nodded my head. “Thousands upon thousands of years have I walked the shattered remnants of our world...and I am... _ tired _ , Warrior of Light. So very tired.”

My eyes widened, my arms relaxing. 

“None of this,” he said, motioning to me. Of our time together. “Has been for nothing.”

He leaned- more like  _ slumped _ \- forward, leaning his arms on his thighs with another heavy sigh. 

“I am sure that when I approached you in the courtyards of the Crystarium over a year ago that you assumed my presence was all a part of my  _ grand scheme _ . And perhaps you were right.” He clasped his hands together as he looked straight down towards the sidewalk below us, his shock of white hair falling in front of his eyes. “Though it is not...what you think it is.”

I breathed a laugh, leaning forward to match him, gently putting my hand on his shoulder as a small comfort.

“It’s...been a long time since I thought you were here to manipulate me.” A slight smile spread across his mouth, though disappeared quickly. 

“Truthfully, hero...I have been searching for another way to accomplish my goals,” he finally admitted. 

_ Another way _ . 

The words echoed in my mind. Words I had...recently thought of as well, as we were decorating my Starlight tree.

They were  _ everything _ I ever wanted.

“The business of rejoining is long and arduous. And I am nothing short of  _ exhausted _ .”

I searched the profile of his face, then.  _ Really _ looked at him. 

The light of the television screens illuminated his face and the ever-present smudges that seemed to bruise the skin under his eyes. 

“I have searched for so long that I was beginning to run out of hope.”

I sat back, eyes scanning the rest of his body- his shoulders, always hunched. As if-

As if there was an invisible weight he supported on his back.

I remembered back to the time we’d spend together. And how often it seemed like that weight had lifted. How he didn’t look quite so tired. Alone.

“But…?” Another smile played upon his mouth, though he continued staring down towards the ground.

“But,” he started again. “Then I laid eyes on  _ you _ . And I thought...perhaps  _ you _ were the key to helping me find such a way. That  _ maybe _ I could abandon this path of destruction that lay at my feet and attain something... _ greater _ .”

My lips parted in surprise by his admission. He had opened up to me many times, but this...Nothing like this.

My heart swelled with...a myriad of different emotions, all at once. Sadness that he seemed so... _ stuck _ by his current predicament. Bound by duty, but... _ hoping _ that there could possibly be a way to change his methods. Happiness filled me at the same time though, knowing that he had deigned me worthy of his confidence. That he...wanted me to know  _ him _ and...not who he was  _ supposed _ to be. 

I reached for him, then, brushing the lock of stark, white hair out of his face, and placing my hand on his cheek. He lifted his head slightly, his piercing gold eyes finally sliding back to me. I smiled softly and leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to his other cheek. 

“That’s what I want too,” I said when I’d pulled back, my words barely louder than a whisper. My gaze met his for a moment, then I watched as he searched the sincerity on my face. “It’s...all I ever wanted when it came to you.”

His eyes widened infinitesimally, barely noticeable to someone who wasn’t looking close enough. I breathed a quiet laugh, water welling within my eyes.

“To help you find a way to accomplish your duty without so much  _ death _ ,” I continued. “So that...so that maybe we wouldn’t be forced to battle to the death in the end.” I heard my voice waver as I told him my deepest, darkest fear. The fear that had been growing inside of me ever since he came to my room that very first night. “So that…you don’t  _ have _ to be the  _ villain _ of either of our stories, but a hero in both. And so that...we can continue on with this life we share. Without judgement. Without…” 

I swallowed hard as his expression softened. He lifted his hand to my face, wiping away the tear as it slid down my cheek with a gentleness that made me want to  _ sob _ .

“Without being forced to hide what you mean to me.”

“And what, Warrior of Light, do I mean to you?”

My chin trembled.

“Everything,” I breathed. 

His lips had found mine in an instant. Both of his hands gripped the sides of my face as he kissed me with a desperation I had not felt in quite a long while. I whimpered against his mouth and threw my arms around his neck, the fingers of one hand threading into his hair as I returned his sentiment with fervor. 

When I was out of breath, he pulled away, only to press his forehead to mine as he continued holding me close, idly stroking my cheek with his thumb.

“I take it you feel the same?” I inquired, a giggle in my voice as a wide smile spread across my lips. I opened my eyes to find the usual smirk returned to his face. He hummed, looking into my eyes with a tenderness that made my limbs go weak.

“Who would I be, hero, if I were to give you a straight answer?”

I nearly burst into a fit of laughter as the sounds of the celebration below began filtering back into my consciousness.

“Wow, what a way to ring in the new year, folks!” 

I looked toward the closest television out of the corner of my eye to see what the host was going on about now, what  _ poor couple _ he had managed to focus in on-

My head whipped around as I beheld my bewildered face plastered on every screen down the street. Even the Ascian blinked in surprise, looking somewhat alarmed. My face flushed immediately at the prospect that  _ everyone _ had just watched-

“Well, this seems as good a time as any to head home,” Emet-Selch said, matter-of-factly. 

I nodded stiffly, and heard a hum behind me. I overcame my shock at the sound, panic gripping me for a moment.

“But-Magic-,” I tried. 

“Never fear,” he whispered in my ear, pressing a short kiss to the shell. The next moment, he’d given my shoulder a hard shove, forceful enough that I lost my balance. With a sharp gasp, I fell backwards. I closed my eyes tightly, bracing myself for the impact of the hard material of the roof.

Instead, I landed on something soft, bouncing a few times before I finally came to rest. 

I cracked my eyes open to find that I was now in my bedroom. 

Moments later, the Ascian landed next to me, the Void portal in my ceiling closing promptly. 

He took one look at the dazed, astonished expression that remained on my face and chuckled, lightly patting my cheek. 

“No worries, my dearest Warrior,” he assured me again.

“But, they-” 

“ _ They _ did not see a thing. In fact, they believe we were so embarrassed that we are now hiding behind the ledge of the roof, and just beyond the scope of their camera.” He raised the same hand from my face and snapped, our outer layers disappearing. A fire sprung to life in the hearth across from the bed. 

“Now,” he continued, glancing down at me, one side of his mouth tugging upward. “Where were we?”

Before I could respond, he’d gathered me into his arms again, pulling me flush against his body. 

And when his warmth enveloped me completely, I found it hard to do anything but relax into him, any remaining tension bleeding out of my muscles. My arms wound around his waist, hands laying flat against the small of his back. 

“Any complaints?” He challenged me. I sighed contentedly as I closed my eyes, burying my face into the fabric of his shirt.

“No,” I muttered, words muffled against his chest. “I suppose not.” His body shook with a silent chuckle.

“Good,” he replied.

For long minutes, we soaked in each others’ company, not daring to say a word and ruin the moment. His fingertips ran up and down the length of my back, soothing me. 

And before long, I felt my consciousness begin to slip.

I was nearly gone when I felt him lean down, pressing a gentle kiss to my temple. 

“Hero?” he breathed into my ear as he ran his nose along the inside of the shell. His voice was so soft, so low, as if he didn’t want to rouse me if I had indeed fallen asleep.

I hummed, though the darkness was quickly laying its claim on me.

“Happy New Year.”

“Mm...You too,” I mumbled, my words slurred. One of his arms lifted from around me. The click of his fingers filled my ears and the remaining light behind my eyes disappeared. 

“And thank  _ you _ .”


End file.
